The following rules shall govern any challenges to a decision maker's participation in a quasi-judicial or legislative action:
A. Ex Parte Contacts: Any factual information obtained about a land use application by a decision maker outside the context of a quasi-judicial hearing shall be deemed an ex parte contact. Prior to the close of the record in any particular matter, any decision maker that has obtained any material factual information through an ex parte contact shall declare the content of that contact and allow any interested party to rebut the substance of that contact. This rule does not apply to legislative proceedings.
B. Conflict Of Interest: Whenever a decision maker, or any member of a decision maker's immediate family or household, has a financial interest in the outcome of a particular quasi-judicial or legislative matter, that decision maker shall not participate in the deliberation or decision on that matter.
C. Bias: All decisions in quasi-judicial matters shall be fair, impartial, and based on the applicable approval standards and the evidence in the record. Any decision maker who is unable to render a decision on this basis in any particular matter shall refrain from participating in the deliberation or decision on that matter. This rule does not apply to legislative proceedings. (Ord. 688, 6-15-1999)